HERMANN —The new span over First Creek on Route J is set to open Monday, May 10, ending a bumpy detour for many residents of northwest Gasconade County traveling to Hermann and Owensville.

The replacement of one of the worst bridges — if not the worst — within the eight counties in the Meramec Region has been long awaited by area residents. The 1930s-era, wood-piered, one-lane bridge was closed on Jan. 25 with the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) finally securing the funding for the project after it had been on the region’s priority list for many years.

The project has forced area motorists to take one of two alternate routes to points east of First Creek — Route F to Highway 19 or Route F to county roads Zastrow and First Creek back to Route J on the east side of the creek to Highway 100 into Hermann. The replacement work has been a little more than three months.

Increased travel on Zastrow and First Creek roads pressed the county’s Road Department to beef up its efforts at grading and graveling those county roads. County officials applauded the work done by the road agency during the bridge project.

The bridge project also resulted in county officials voicing concern to state legislators about hazardous conditions that developed on Route F from the increased traffic and from heavy trucks going to and from a clay quarry operation on nearby Benson Road. Although MoDOT initially had not planned to make any extensive improvements to Route F until after the quarry operation ends in the next few years, the state transit agency did commit resources for a resurfacing of many parts of Route F that had been damaged by the increased traffic.

Meanwhile, the Gasconade County courthouse will be bustling with activity on Tuesday, May 11, as the county holds a Health Fair for employees. Health screenings will be offered, as well as information regarding personal HSA accounts and other health-related items. County Clerk Lesa Lietzow estimates 40 to 45 people participating in the event, which will include chair massages provided by Massage For Your Health.

Presiding Commissioner Larry Miskel, Associate Commissioners Jerry Lairmore and Jim Holland and County Treasurer Mike Feagan will be cooking breakfast for those attending the event. The Health Fair kicks off at 8 a.m.

Emergency Management Director Clyde Zelch reminded the Commission that a dress rehearsal for this year’s FEMA-required emergency drill is set for Aug. 19. This will be Zelch’s first such event, held to work out details for the later actual drill that brings together representatives of a variety of local agencies. The drill is aimed at being prepared for an emergency that would occur at the Callaway Nuclear Power Plant. 

The drill is held in the county’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in the courthouse basement. Commissioners are scheduled to meet again at 8:30 a.m. Thursday at Owensville City Hall.